Ranchero Road bridge reconstruction going 'very well'

Project’s bridge is progressing “very well,” with new wooden falsework rising above the freeway, a transportation official said Tuesday.

Recovered steel girders are still being tested, straightened and retested, San Bernardino Associated Governments spokesman Tim Watkins said, while grading and paving are underway.

The contractor, Security Paving Co. Inc., is trying to salvage as much of the damaged interchange’s framework as is safely practical, he said earlier. The project’s wood and steel bridge structure burned and collapsed in an accidental fire May 5.

“The efforts for straightening some of the large steel girders used to span I-15 during bridge construction continues and has gone very well thus far,” Watkins said in an email. “Some of the testing results for the columns in the median of I-15 remain outstanding.

“While those test results will factor into the schedule for constructing the bridge, the contractor remains optimistic about completing the bridge by the end of the calendar year.”

Construction work on the interchange requires nighttime lane closures of both directions of I-15 between Oak Hill Road and Highway 395 in Hesperia through Thursday morning, transportation officials said.

No detours are necessary because at least two lanes will remain open during the operation, according to a SANBAG news release. Additionally, “Motorists can expect nighttime lane closures in the coming weeks to prepare for additional falsework and project activity,” Watkins said.